Lauki Posto
(bottle gourd cooked with poppy seeds)

इस व्यंजन को हिन्दी में पढ़ें

Lauki Posto (bottle gourd cooked with poppy seeds) is an absolute delight for green vegetable lovers. Lauki, also known as doodhi, squash, gourd or bottle gourd contains 90% water and considered as an easy to digest and healthy vegetable.
The credit for this recipe goes to my friend Shalini and her husband Alok. I am extremely thankful to them for not only sharing the recipe but also feeding me this delicious dish. There is a sweet story behind this recipe. During the 2016 summer holidays when we were in India, I had an opportunity to meet my school/college friends after 19 years. We all gathered at Shalini's place. We were so excited and happy to see each other after almost 2 decades. Shalini's husband was so generous that he took the responsibility of the kitchen while Shalini was spending time with us. At lunch time we were amazed to see a lovely platter of delicious, light, and vegetarian Indian food on the table. The highlight of that lunch was a lauki dish. When I asked Alok about that dish, he smiled and said “It is a Bengali dish, lauki posto”. I was a little surprised to hear that as I have always eaten very mild posto dishes and his posto preparation was very different than the traditional Bengali cuisine. I further inquired about the dish and asked for the recipe. Alok with his infectious smile said even though he is Bengali his cuisine has an influence of North as he grew up here. He also said “I added spices in it and made North Indian and Bengali (Eastern) style cuisine”. All of us that day kept taking refills of lauki posto.
When we returned to the states I decided to give a try to lauki posto. When my husband tasted it he said ”This is the most delicious form of lauki sabji I have ever eaten." So this time I decided to make it with proper measurements and with step by step pictures for my readers. Hope you like this dish. Please try this lauki posto recipe and share your experience with us. Best wishes, Shuchi.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• Lauki 1 medium
• Green chilies 2, finely chopped
• Ghee 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Asafoetida (heeng) 2 pinches
• Turmeric powder ½ tsp
• Red chili powder ¼ tsp
• Coriander powder 1 tsp
• Garam masala, a hint of
• Salt 1¼ tsp
• Poppy seeds 3 tbsp
• Chopped cilantro leaves 1 tbsp

Method of preparation:

1. Remove the stem of the lauki and then peel and wash it. Cut lauki into desired shape. I have cut them into thin and long pieces.

2. Heat 2 tsp ghee in a wok. Add cumin seeds. When seeds crackle, add asafoetida. Add chopped green chilies. Fry for a few seconds. Add turmeric powder.
3. Add lauki pieces. Mix well. Fry for a couple of minutes. Add salt, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Mix well.

4. Cook lauki for 5 minutes or until they are half way done.
5. While lauki is cooking grind poppy seeds. You can dry grind the poppy seeds or you can add a little water and make a fine paste.
6. Add poppy paste in the half cooked lauki. Mix the poppy paste with the lauki well. Add a little water and let it cook for 5 minutes.

7. Lauki Posto is now ready. Turn off the heat.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
9. Serve delicious lauki posto with roti or poori. It always tastesso good.

1. If you want to make it the traditional Bengali way add 1 tsp Panch pohron( mix of nigella seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds) masala for the seasoning
2. Traditionaly Bengali vegetables are cooked in mustard oil but you can use any oil or ghee as per taste.
3. I have used my coffee grinder to dry grind the poppy seeds but you can add water to the poppy seeds and make a paste.
4. Lauki (bottle gourd/squash) can be easily grown in a home garden. You can also grow them in a big pot. Read more about vegetable gardening.

Some other delicious Dry Vegetables preparations

Some other lauki delicacies

• Lauki Chane ki Dal

  Lauki Chane ki dal (bottle gourd and gram lentils) is a very delicious as well as nutritious preparation. Lauki/ bottle gourd is a very light vegetable and makes a perfect dish with the combination of Gram Dal (chana dal). Those who don’t like plain lauki will appreciate this preparation. For the seasoning, you can make simple....

  

• Lauki Thepla

  Thepla is a Gujarati variety of pan fried Bread. Theplas are usually made with wheat flour, grated veggies, and spices. Our kitchen garden is having a last round of lauki (squash) before the first frost arrives. This recipe of delicious and healthy Indian bread Thepla was shared by a Gujarati friend's mother, who recently visited USA...

  

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